Message: “Peace or Sword” (Matthew 10:34-36)Sermon Notes and Comments: Pastor Stanley shared words that built upon these words from the Book of Matthew. We are reminded how comforted we are by the name of Jesus. We also know that the distractions of this world can keep us from our faith (Satan is not equal to God but he is evil at work across this world). As followers of Christ, we fight evil thoughts and ways but we also have struggles. God knows our struggles and when we pursue our faith, His Holy Spirit helps us to fight the good fight. Our sermon closed with words about what a believer (of Christ) is versus a disciple (of Christ). We all would probably agree that we are believers and are working to be disciples as best we can. A good way to know if we are on track - is when our relationship with God is the most important thing in our life. Is it for you?

Hymnal #244: “Jesus, I Will Trust Thee” (Howard)

End of service.

And as you pursue this week to come, remember: Faith is the step between promise and assurance. Miracles seem so out of reach for our feeble faith. But every miracle, large or small begins with an act of obedience. We may not see the solution until we take the first step of faith. Even when God has done a miracle in our lives, our troubles may not be over. God’s provision is never given in order to let us rest upon it. We need to depend on Him as we face each new trial.

Prayers of the Saints and "The Lord’s Prayer"Scripture Reading: John 12:35-36, 44-46Hymnal #522: "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory" (Howard)

Message: "That We May Become Sons of Light"Sermon notes: Pastor Stanley shared words for us to consider...We normally do pretty good when we know a deadline and work our way toward it. Now add the aspect of our faith journey and since we don't know our last day or when the Lord will return, how do we approach that deadline?Do we do what is expedient? If we do, that is too often not the best course of action. What should we do?Start with what we learn from 1 Cor. 13:4-8 and remember:God's ways are not expedient, they are purposed.Trust in Him, pursue our faith and become Sons of Light.

Hymnal #545: "Promised Land" (Howard)End of Service

And remember these words as the next week unfolds. . . No matter how trapped you feel in your infirmities,God can minister to your deepest needs. Don’t let a problem or hardship cause you to lose hope. God may have special work for you to do in spite of your condition, or even because of it. Many have ministered effectively to hurting people because they have triumphed over their own hurts. According to the Pharisees, to do good on the Sabbath was work, so was unlawful. It broke the Pharisees interpretation of God’s law to "remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy". This was just one of hundreds of rules they added to the Old Testament law. To do good should not be ignored, even on the Sabbath.

Songs: "Here I am to Worship", "His Name is Wonderful" (Music Team)Hymnal #72: "My Jesus, I Love Thee" (Howard)Lighting of the Candles

Prayers of the Saints and "The Lord’s Prayer"

Scripture Reading: John 9

Hymnal #403: "Heavenly Sunlight" (Howard)

Message: "Some Cannot See, Others Are Just Blind"Sermon notes: Pastor Stanley's sermon got us all to thinking of what is the truth? Do we find it and test the truth?Our faith calls us to read and to pursue the truth as we learnof it from the Bible. And as the Bible teach us,Jesus said many times "I tell you the truth...".And as we learned from the reading of John, chapter 9;Jesus healed the blind man and although many sawthis miracle, they still did not believe Jesus was the Christ.It comes back to us. . . Do we need to see, do we believe or not?

Communion (Howard)

Hymnal #361: "Near the Cross" (Howard)

End of service

And as you go on to pursue week, remember:God stays close to us even in death. When someone we love is nearing death, we may become angry and feel abandoned. But believers (the Lord’s loved ones) are precious to God, and he carefully chooses the time when they will be called into his presence. Let this truth provide comfort when you’ve lost a loved one. God sees, and each life is valuable to him.

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 Special Music: “Oh I Want to Know You More / It is You” (Music Team)Lighting of the Candles Hymnal #435: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (Howard)Prayers of the Saints and “The Lord’s Prayer”Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:22-33 Hymnal #451: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” (Howard & Stanley)Message: “It is I; Be Not Afraid” Sermon notes: Pastor Stanley reminded us that throughout the Bible we are aware of God speaking - for example..."Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3)"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)"Come to me all of you who are weak and weary" (Matt. 11:28)And in today's sermon, Peter learned that when we take our eyes of the Lord, we falter. But as he cried out... "Save me Lord" we can also call out and believe and not to be afraid because our God speaks to us. Pastor Stanley then closed his sermon with the words from the 23rd Psalm

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

Blue Hymnal #34: “Where He Leads Me” (Howard)end of service

And from our words to ponder...Many Gentiles who didn’t even know about a Messiah found and believed in him. Some religious people are spiritually blind, while those who have never been in a church are sometimes the most responsive to God’s message. Because appearances are deceiving and we can’t see into peoples hearts, beware of judging beforehand who will respond to the Good News and who will not.